The Maryland General Assembly adjourned several weeks early on March 11th in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This led to a very rapid last few days of voting and floor sessions. Some good bills got lost and some bills MGPA did not support were pushed through.
HB229/SB300 - Pesticides - Used of Chlorpyrifos - Prohibition
Delegate Stein & Senator Lam - This bill prohibits the use of Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) and seeds treated with Chlorpyrifos stating October 2020.
- PASSED - awaiting Governor's signature
HB510 -
Agriculture - Hemp Research and Production - Prohibitions
Delegate Hettleman - This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture from issuing a permit to grow Hemp within 2 miles of a residential area with 10 or more homes.
HB517 - Constitutional Amendment - Environmental Rights
Delegate Stewart - This bill proposes a constitutional amendments stating that every Marylander has a constitutional right to a clean environment including clean air; pure water; ecosystems that sustain the states air, flora, fauna, climate, and lands; and preservation of the natural, healthful, scenic and historic values of the environment. The proposed amendment makes all Marylander's "stewards" of the environment and give them standing to file suite for degradation.
HB574 - Agriculture - License to Produce Hemp - Limitations
Delegate Cardin - This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture from issuing a permit to grow hemp on a property that is within 25 feet of another property with three or more residences unless the grower agree to grow the hemp indoors with a filtration system to remove all smell.
HB614/SB460 -
State Government - Office of the Environmental and Natural Resources Ombudsman - Establishment (Environmental Accountability and Transparency Act)
Delegate Leirman & Senator Elfreth
Establishing the Office of the Environmental and Natural Resources Ombudsman; requiring the Ombudsman to have the ability to analyze environmental and natural resource-related data and communicate effectively with State agencies and the public.
HB1628 - Sales and Use Tax - Rate Reduction and Services
Delegate Luedtke
This bill reduces the Maryland State Sales Tax from 6% to 5% and imposes a 5% tax on services provided in Maryland with a few exemptions such as healthcare services. This bill would put a 5% tax on agricultural services provided such as nutrient application and machine work.
HB687/SB597 - Agriculture - Cost-Sharing Program - Fixed Natural Filter Practices
Delegate Stein & Senator Young
This bill defines "fixed natural filters" and associated practices as riparian or herbaceous buffers, tree plantings, wetland restoration, and pasture management such as fencing and watering facilities; and makes these practices eligible for cost share funding out of the Bay Restoration Funding that goes to cover crops. The bill disallows MACS funding for practices where a resource concern does not exist according to NRCS standards, requires funding rates be based on NRCS rates, and disallows multiple species cover crops from receiving less funding than single species.
- PASSED with amendment removing BRF funding source
SB478/HB772 -
Maryland Green Purchasing Committee - Food Procurement - Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Senator Lam & Delegate Gilchrist
This bill requires the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee, in consultation with the Department of the Environment and the Department of General Services, to develop a way to calculate the Greenhouse Gas emissions foods emit in their life-cycle. The committee is then to establish best practices for state government procurement to reduce the volume of GHG-intensive foods purchased to the maximum extent practicable as a percentage of gross food purchases.
SB841/HB1312 - Water Pollution Control - Discharge Permits - Industrial Poultry Operations
Senator Lam & Delegate Stewart
This bill defines an "industrial poultry operation" as an animal feeding operation that produces more than 300,000 broiler chicken per year. Separate farms are to be considered the same "operation" if the farms are less than 3 miles apart and under common ownership. The bill prohibits MDE from offering coverage under the general discharge CAFO permit to an "industrial poultry operation" as of September 30, 2020.
SB 928
- Environment – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Construction or Expansion – Manure Transport Plan Requirement
Senator Pinsky
Starting on or after October 1, 2021, this bill would prohibit the Department of the Environment from approving coverage under a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) discharge permit for new a CAFO in counties with more than 30% of their farmland having a soil phosphorus FIV of 150 or greater, unless the permit applicant submits a manure transport plan to the Department as part of the permit application that shows the manure generated will be transported to a county with less than 30% of the farmland above 150 phosphorus FIV or to an organics recycling facility. The counties with more than 30% of their farmland being over 150 phosphorus FIV are Calvert, Caroline, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester.
